Staff previews "Americana & Ales" World Cup event; city to consider $80,000 funding request in July

City staff and a team led by Eddie Crane of Complete Construction Services presented a plan on June 23 for an "Americana & Ales" music event in downtown Shawnee tied to the 2026 World Cup calendar.

Paul (city staff) said the total event budget is currently estimated at $110,000 and the organizing team believes it can secure about $30,000 in sponsorships and grants. That leaves an $80,000 estimated city funding gap. Paul said the city will return at the first meeting in July with a request for an initial $50,000 deposit to secure headliner acts and agent dates, followed by roughly $25,000 to secure production (staging, lighting, tents, generators) and an initial $5,000 for administration and early marketing.

Eddie Crane, owner of Complete Construction Services and an experienced event producer, described a downtown footprint centered on City Hall with two stages (main stage plus Aztec venue), vendor areas, and coordination with the existing Moonlight Market format. Crane said the group envisions a free event for residents that could attract both regional visitors and local audiences; he said organizers estimate roughly 1,000 people “in and out” across the downtown footprint but emphasized that precise attendance projections and ROI have not been established.

Council members asked about security, parking and shuttle options and whether the city would face ongoing budget requests. Paul said the event is being planned as a single-day, evening event (proposed Saturday, June 20, 2026), and that public-safety staffing and other operational needs are being discussed with police and regional partners; the initial funding ask is intended to secure deposits and production commitments, not final operational reimbursements.

The presentation was informational; the council did not vote on funding June 23. Paul said a formal funding request will come back to the council at the July 2025 meeting for consideration.